As telecommunications applications continue to proliferate, there is an increasing need for higher quality and easier to apply connectors for fiber optic transmission lines.
One known type of fiber optic connector is the xe2x80x9cpigtailxe2x80x9d type connector wherein a premanufactured connector includes a cylindrical ceramic ferrule having a highly polished front face, a fiber stub adhered within an axial aperture in the ferrule, wherein the fiber stub extends rearwardly beyond, and thereby protrudes from, a rear end of the ferrule. In the field, the pigtail-type connector is applied, in part, by inserting the pigtail fiber stub end into other connector apparatus wherein it comes flush with the stripped end of the field fiber to which it is being connected. Although the interfacing ends of the stub and field fibers may be precision cleaved, the stub fiber may have its end damaged prior to interfacing the fiber stub because it may be exposed to damaging elements in its pigtailed state. If the pigtailed end of the stub fiber is nicked or otherwise damaged, the interface with the field fiber will not be of the highest quality and signal transfer from one fiber to the other may be compromised at the interface. Thus, there is a need for maintaining the unpolished end of the stub fiber in as pristine a condition as possible.
The fiber optic connectors generally at issue here are manufactured in mass by control processes; thus, there is always a desire to enhance the speed, ease, and cost with which such connectors are assembled. In some known fiber optic connectors, crimp support materials must be inserted into a crimping space very accurately, especially with regard to angular position due to the need for ribs or flanges extending therefrom to protrude through portions of a circumscribing crimp sleeve, such as is the case in the connector disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,234,685. As controlling the angular position of the crimp support materials yields increased cost in the manufacturing process, it would be considered desirable to remove this step from the manufacturing process.
In at least one form, the invention may include a fiber optic connector for terminating an optical fiber, the connector comprising a housing having opposed first and second ends, the housing receiving the optical fiber at the first end thereof, an elongated member retainable in the housing and extending generally from one of the opposed ends to the other of the opposed ends, the elongated member including a ferrule holding portion proximate the second end of the housing and a crimpable portion distinct from the ferrule holding portion, the crimpable portion being generally aligned with the ferrule holding portion and being closer to the first end of the housing than is the ferrule holding portion, a ferrule disposable within the ferrule holding portion of the elongated member, the ferrule including an aperture running therethrough and being generally aligned with the crimpable portion when the ferrule is disposed within the ferrule holding portion, the ferrule including a polished front face, at least one crimp supporting member disposable within the crimpable portion of the elongated member, the at least one crimp supporting member defining an elongated path through the crimpable portion, the path being generally aligned with the aperture of the ferrule, and a stub fiber having opposing ends, the stub fiber being disposed within the central aperture of the ferrule, one end of the stub fiber being generally aligned with the polished front face of the ferrule and the opposite end of the stub fiber being disposed within the ferrule.
In at least another form, the invention may include a crimpable fiber optic connector for terminating an optical fiber, the connector being crimpable by a crimp die, the connector comprising a housing having a window, the housing receiving the optical fiber at the first end thereof an elongated member retainable in the housing, the elongated member including a crimpable portion, the crimpable portion being disposed within the housing such that it is accessible through the window of the housing by the crimp die, and at least one crimp supporting member disposable within the crimpable portion of the elongated member, the at least one crimp supporting member defining an elongated path for the optical fiber through the crimpable portion, the crimp die including a pair of generally opposed crimping implements translatable generally toward and away from each other, at least one of the crimping implements having a pair of extending triangular portions at opposite ends thereof, each of the projections for contacting the crimpable portion of the elongated member when the crimp die is applied to the connector.
In at least another form, the invention may include a method for assembling a fiber optic connector, the method comprising the steps of providing a housing having opposed first and second ends providing an elongated member including a ferrule holding portion at one end thereof and a crimpable portion distinct from the ferrule holding portion, the crimpable portion being generally aligned with the ferrule holding portion, providing at least one crimp supporting member, providing a ferrule having a front end and a rear end, the ferrule including a narrow aperture extending from one end to the other, providing a stub fiber having a length dimension shorter than that of the ferrule aperture and a width dimension sufficiently small to permit the stub fiber to be inserted into the ferrule aperture, inserting the stub fiber into the ferrule aperture such that one end of the stub fiber is generally even with the front end of the ferrule and the other end is within, and not extending beyond, the ferrule aperture, affixing the stub fiber within the ferrule aperture, polishing the front end of the ferrule aperture, inserting the crimp supporting member through the ferrule holding portion and into the crimpable portion of the elongated member, inserting the ferrule at least partially into the ferrule holding portion of the elongated member, affixing the ferrule at least partially within the ferrule holding portion of the elongated member so as to retain the crimp supporting member within the crimpable portion of the elongated member, inserting the elongated member into the housing, and affixing the elongated member within the housing.
In at least another form, the invention may include a method for terminating a multiply layered field optical fiber having a glass fiber core with an optical fiber connector including a housing having opposed first and second ends and a window, an elongated member retainable in the housing and extending generally from one of the opposed ends to the other of the opposed ends, the elongated member including a ferrule holding portion proximate the second end of the housing and a crimpable portion distinct from the ferrule holding portion, the crimpable portion being generally aligned with the ferrule holding portion and being closer to the first end of the housing than is the ferrule holding portion, a ferrule disposable within the ferrule holding portion of the elongated member, the ferrule including an aperture running therethrough and being generally aligned with the crimpable portion when the ferrule is disposed within the ferrule holding portion, the ferrule including a polished front face, at least one crimp supporting member disposed within the crimpable portion of the elongated member, the at least one crimp supporting member defining an elongated path through the crimpable portion, the path being generally aligned with the aperture of the ferrule, and a stub fiber having opposing ends, the stub fiber being disposed within the aperture of the ferrule, one end of the stub fiber being generally even with the polished front face of the ferrule and the opposite end of the stub fiber being disposed within the ferrule, the method comprising the steps of providing a crimp tool having opposed crimp dies thereon stripping at least one layer from the field optical fiber to expose the glass fiber core, placing the connector on at least one of the crimp dies of the crimp tool, lightly closing the opposable crimp dies of the crimp tool over the connector such that at least one of the crimp dies protrudes through the housing window to contact the crimpable portion of the elongated member and simultaneously retain the connector on the crimp tool, inserting the glass fiber core through the end of the extending member closer the first end of the housing, into and through the elongated path in the crimpable portion of the extending member defined by the crimp supporting member, into the aperture of the ferrule and into contact with the stub fiber disposed within the ferrule aperture, and forcefully closing the opposable crimp dies of the crimp tool over the connector so as to crimp the crimpable portion of the elongated member and thereby retain the field fiber in contact with the stub fiber within the ferrule aperture.